Juneau-Douglas’ Gabi Griggs bumps the ball up against Ketchikan during the Region V Volleyball Tournament at Thunder Mountain High School on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

Juneau-Douglas’ Gabi Griggs bumps the ball up against Ketchikan during the Region V Volleyball Tournament at Thunder Mountain High School on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

Inconsistency hurts JDHS in season-ending loss

Crimson Bears end year with winning record

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaat.at Kalé fended off a Palmer High School comeback as long as it could before succumbing to the Moose.

After taking the first set, JDHS lost three sets in a row in a 3-1 (20-25, 25-17, 25-11, 25-17) loss Friday morning at the volleyball state championships. The loss knocked JDHS out of the double elimination tournament, being held at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage.

“They had moments where they played really, really well — the first game especially — and then they had some moments where they didn’t play so well,” JDHS coach Jody Levernier said. “They just didn’t play consistent all the way through.”

JDHS lost 3-0 to state powerhouse South Anchorage on Thursday in the first round.

The Crimson Bears joined the North Pole Patriots as the first two teams to exit the tournament as six teams — JDHS, North Pole, Palmer, Wasilla, Soldotna and Bartlett — started the day in the loser’s bracket. South Anchorage and Dimond are set to face off in the winner’s bracket at 5:15 p.m. Friday with a trip to the finals on the line.

Up 1-0, the Crimson Bears fell behind midway through the second set. Junior Talia Villnerve started to heat up for the Moose, firing the ball over the net for numerous points. After tying the match at 1-1, the Moose quickly led 10-0 in the second set as senior Kelsey Giese recorded several aces.

“They just kind of got in a little rut,” Levernier said of the start to the third set. “They made a mistake, and then they made another mistake, and sometimes they have a hard time getting out of that.”

The Crimson Bears raced out to an 11-5 lead in the fourth set. But the Moose responded with a big 16-3 run to advance. Palmer would go on to lose its next game though against Soldotna.

Junior Jojo Griggs had seven kills and 10 digs in the loss. Senior Addie Prussing finished with five aces, three of which came in the first set. Prussing, one of just two seniors on the squad along with Abby Dean, was named Player of the Game.

JDHS finishes the year with an 11-9 record in best-of-five matches.

ASAA/First National Bank Alaska 4A Volleyball State Championships

Thursday

South def. Juneau-Douglas 3-0 (25-17, 25-10, 25-7)

Bartlett def. Palmer 3-0 (25-20, 25-19, 25-17)

Wasilla def. North Pole 3-0 (25-8, 25-11, 25-16)

Dimond def. Soldotna 3-0 (25-20, 25-17, 25-16)

South def. Bartlett 3-1 (25-22, 25-20, 17-25, 25-20)

Dimond def. Wasilla 3-0 (25-17, 25-21, 25-15)

Friday

Palmer def. Juneau-Douglas 3-1 (20-25, 25-17, 25-11, 25-17)

Soldotna def. North Pole 3-0 (25-16, 25-16, 25-21)

Wasilla def. Palmer 3-0 (25-20, 25-17, 25-21)

3:15 p.m. — Bartlett vs. Soldotna winner (loser out)

5:15 p.m. — South vs. Dimond (winners bracket)

7 p.m. — Wasilla vs. Bartlett-Soldotna (loser out)

Saturday

Noon — Semfinals

5 p.m. — Finals


• Contact sports reporter Nolin Ainsworth at 523-2272 or nainsworth@juneauempire.com.


More in Sports

JDHS senior Mariah Schauwecker, junior Mila Hargrave and senior Anna Dale were selected to the All-State Tournament team Saturday at the ASAA Division II State Softball Championship at Anchorage’s Cartee Fields. (Courtesy Photo)
JDHS softball nips Sitka for state title

Dale walk-off single sends JDHS to trophy case, the mall, dinner and Cold Stone

Sitka Wolves sophomore pitcher Bryce Calhoun delivers against the Eagle River Wolves during Sitka’s 6-3 loss Saturday in the 4th/6th place game of the ASAA Division I State Baseball Championships on Sitka’s Moller Field. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Sitka falls to Eagle River for fourth place in state baseball tournament

Two packs of Wolves collided in the ASAA Division I State Baseball… Continue reading

JDHS pitcher Eli Crupi prepares to deliver against Eagle River during the Crimson Bears 2-1 loss to the Wolves in an elimination game Friday at the ASAA Division I State Baseball Championships on Sitka’s Moller Field. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Crimson Bears end season nipped by Wolves

JDHS eliminated by Eagle River from state baseball tournament

Photo Courtesy JDHS Softball
JDHS freshman Gwen Nizich slides into home plate against Kodiak during the Crimson Bears 9-1 win over the Bears on Thursday in the ASAA Division II State Softball Tournament at Anchorage’s Cartee Fields.
JDHS splits first steps of state softball marathon

Crimson Bears girls open tournament with win over Kodiak, loss to North Pole

JDHS senior third baseman Kaleb Campbell tags out Colony freshman Kaesen Buzby on a steal attempt during the Crimson Bears 9-1 loss to the Knights on Thursday in the opening round of the ASAA Division I State Baseball Championships at Sitka’s Moller Field. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
JDHS baseball boys open state with loss

Crimson Bears jousted by Colony Knights 9-1

Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire
Sitka senior pitcher Ben Turner delivers against Service during the Wolves 8-7 loss to the Cougars on Thursday in the opening round of the ASAA Division I State Baseball Championships at Sitka’s Moller Field.
Sitka stunned by Service in state tournament at Moller Field

The Sitka High School baseball team fell to the Service Cougars, 8-7,… Continue reading

The Region V champion Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears softball team are the top Southeast seed for the state tournament this weekend in Anchorage. Front row: Milina Mazon. Second row: Mariah Schauwecker, Chloe Casperson, Zoey Billings, Carlynn Casperson and Gloria Bixby. Third row: Bailey Hansen, Mila Hargrave, Taiya Bentz, Kiah Yadao and Gwen Nizich. Fourth row: Amira Andrews, Tristan Oliva, Anna Dale and Tatum Billings. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
JDHS softball champs ready for state

Top seed Crimson Bears, second seed Sitka heading north

The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears are the Southeast second seed for the state baseball tournament starting Thursday in Sitka. Front row left to right: Lamar Blatnick, Brandon Casperson, Jacob Katasse, Finn Kesey, Nate Fick, Tyler Frisby, Riley Fick and Eli Crupi. Back row left to right: Marcus Underwood, Landon Simonson, Kaleb Campbell, Luke Dean, Joe Aline, Reed Meier and Bodhi Nelson. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
JDHS baseball boys heading to the show

Top seed Sitka will host sandlot teams from around the state

Most Read